Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin

Monday, July 18, 2016

I'm a teacher and I got lucky enough to give birth to that perfectly timed “late-spring teacher baby” (summer break=extended maternity leave!) I heard from a lot of friends who struggled to keep their milk supply going once the school year started, so I did everything I could to boost mine over the summer—I started pumping and hand expressing weeks before I went back to work.

Well, when the school year started, I found out I'd done a little too good a job. The baby didn't like the bottle much, so he would nurse all night and all weekend (thus further boosting my supply) but take very little during the day. I had a great freezer stash but never touched it—most days I was freezing ten or twelve ounces more than he was drinking. After a few weeks of hoarding, I was running out of freezer space.

That was when I heard about Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin. I could see my own baby growing and thriving on mama's milk, and it seemed like a profound blessing to be able to share that joy with other families too. Pumping milk at school stopped feeling like an anxiety-inducing chore and started feeling like a form of service.

Instead of letting my supply trail off, I took pleasure in keeping it as high as possible (more hand-expressing!) because I knew I was helping other babies with it. This turned out to be a good thing for my own baby as well, who's still happily nursing at fifteen months. (Here he is, sending his love to all his milk-brothers and milk-sisters!)

The donation period for MMBA ends at twelve months, but I'm already looking forward to becoming a donor mom again if we are blessed with another baby—sharing milk is a great way to keep up your own milk supply and your pumping morale as well as helping others!

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

2016 HMBANA Conference:Learning About the Science of Milk Banking

By Julia Weatherby

Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin Board of Directors

Did you know there is so much research and science specific
to milk banking that there is an entire conference devoted to it? Every two
years, the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) hosts an
international conference on donor human milk and milk banking. This year, the two-day
conference was held in Orlando, Florida. Five people from the Mothers’ Milk
Bank at Austin attended, including myself. I was attending for the first time.
Other attendees and speakers included people from other milk banks,
researchers, neonatologists, and other experts in nutrition, lactation and
health.

While the conference was only two days long, it was packed
full of educational and inspiring presentations. The conference had scientific
presentations, as well as talks about social and public policy issues. We heard
about the status of milk banking and breastfeeding across the globe.

I learned quite amazing things about breast milk and
breastfeeding. The underlying process of breastfeeding is more complex than I
had realized and the various components of breastmilk impact babies in so many
ways. I learned that what I assumed was a simple and precise task of analyzing
the content of milk is in reality actually challenging and expensive. In
addition to that, a mother’s breastmilk varies in its content from the
beginning of a feed to the end, as well as during different times of day, and
from week to week. Between mothers, there are great variations as well. This
makes for fascinating, but also difficult research.

One of the most interesting presentations was about
microbiomes of the mother and baby. Microbes live inside and on our body within
microbiomes (skin, mouth, and gut), and affect all of us in terms of our
overall health, immune health, weight and mental health. Microbes living in the
mother’s microbiomes get transferred to the baby through birth, skin-to-skin
contact and breastmilk. Just as there are variations in breastmilk content, we
have variations in our microbiomes. By feeding a baby human breastmilk, we can
ensure the infant receives beneficial microbes that are necessary for being a
healthy human.

The highlight of the conference experience was being able to
feel the passion and ambition of so many professionals who devote their time
and effort to improving the health of infants worldwide. Through my work with
the Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin, I have met many people locally who are just
as passionate in saving lives. It’s incredible to meet even more people who
believe in the same mission, and see them work together and support each other
in accomplishing big things for the smallest people.

Thursday, April 28, 2016

I came to the Mother’s Milk Bank at Austin as a student intern and the mother of a then 10-month-old boy. Although I had known about the existence and importance of human milk banks in my professional life (I’m a nurse and a midwife), it wasn’t until I started breastfeeding my own baby (and experienced the triumphs, and the challenges) that I became more curious about milk donation and learning more about how human milk banks work. Although milk donation wasn’t an option for me, I met many new mothers in my community who became donors, and was inspired to learn more. The focus of my work at MMBA has been on learning more about the personal characteristics and factors that motivate milk donors. I knew very little about MMBA and its wide network of donors and supporters before I started my internship and have learned so much. In 2014 and 2015, 1723 milk donors from all over the country (29 states and DC) donated their milk to MMBA to help support preterm and medically fragile infants. The median total milk volume donated by donors during this period was more than 500 ounces! As a pumping mom this amazes me!It was also interesting to learn about how milk donors hear about MMBA. Milk donation is not yet as widely known as blood donation (MMBA is working on changing this!), so understanding how lactating women learn about milk donation is really important to sustaining and growing human milk banks and ensuring that vulnerable infants has access to donor human milk. I found that donors learn about human milk banking in many ways including healthcare providers, friends and word of mouth, lactation consultants, social media. There are champions of human milk bank working in hospitals, breastfeeding centers, and communities all over the country who are educating lactating women about the option of milk donation. In Austin, many donors say they learned about MMBA from driving past the building sign and local billboards.My time at MMBA has demonstrated that a small group of committed staff, amazing volunteers and generous donors can change lives. The team at MMBA works tirelessly to support the normalcy of breastfeeding in our community and make milk donation as easy for the donors as possible, while processing the milk safely and in accordance with national standards. Together this group of amazing individuals (donors, MMBA staff, volunteers, and supporters) is helping preterm and medically fragile infants thrive! -Sarah Marsh

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Katie Garza, an MMBA milk donor,
ambassador, and Mrs. United States 2015, shares her very moving story and
explains why she is dedicating her year to promoting milk banking and
fundraising for the Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin's Charitable Care Program.

As Mothers, our natural instinct is
to nurture and protect all babies, not just our own. Every donor Mom has an
incredible story behind what motivates her to donate, because let me tell you,
pumping around the clock is no walk in the park. This is my story:

At 30 weeks pregnant with my first
child, I awoke in screaming pain. I was told that it was labor, and thankfully
the doctors were able to stop the contractions. After three weeks of bed rest
and constant labor, Phoenix Madilyn would wait no more. Delivery was the scariest moment of my life.
We had no idea what to expect or whether our girl would make it. She was born
crying, and for a moment I cried tears of joy. Within minutes the crying
stopped, and the doctors spoke in hushed voices while my tears of joy turned to
heartbreak. She wasn't breathing on her own.

Within her first hours of life my
teeny baby went from the comfort and security of the womb to being intubated
and life flighted to Texas Children's level 3 NICU. I couldn't touch her. I couldn't hold her.
And like most NICU Moms, I couldn't provide her with the milk she needed
despite every effort.

During the hours spent in the NICU,
we got to know the nurses and fell in love with her baby buddies. We were
filled with joy at the successes, and heartbreak when things went wrong.
Phoenix was 4lbs 4oz - huge compared to the rest of the babies in her pod. Some
babies had Mommy with them around the clock, while other babies were alone.
Having an infant in the NICU can cause post-traumatic stress and there are many
things to be said on this topic, but I will save that for another story.

Breast milk is the single most
powerful medicine a medically fragile infant can receive. Not only is it
superior nutrition, it also has healing power. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)
is the leading cause of death in preterm infants, and can be preventable with
breast milk. If the Mother’s milk is not available, human donor breast milk is
the next best thing. I wish I had known of this option. Maybe if Phoenix and
the other babies received donor milk they would have been more comfortable,
grew stronger, and came home sooner.

During our time in the NICU, I
desperately needed to help my baby and the babies around her. There was nothing
that I could do at that time, but now there is. Phoenix is now a healthy six
year old with a brand new baby sister, Aubrey.
I started pumping as soon as Aubrey was born with a goal to strengthen
my supply and donate to NICU babies. These babies can only receive breast milk from
a milk bank, so I chose to donate to my local non-profit HMBANA milk bank, the
Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin.

More importantly, I want to make
sure that the families whose babies have a medical need to receive my donor
milk never have to pay for it if they cannot afford it. So I fundraise to
ensure that every baby receives breast milk at no cost to them, regardless of
their insurance coverage through Charitable Care.

I also want to make sure that Moms
KNOW about donor breast milk, because so many simply aren't aware (like
myself). We are now working on an
outreach and education program to touch every NICU Mom nationwide.

The taller my soap box, the farther
our voices can be heard! As Mrs. United States my soap box is huge, and is
opening doors to help get the message out for our preemies. The goal is to get
more milk to more babies, and I am out there pounding the pavement, crown in
hand (with pump breaks every 3 hours:).

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

We celebrated National Volunteer Week earlier this month,
honoring the many
volunteers who truly make a world of a difference in the health and lives of
preterm and ill infants. One group of volunteers we recognized is our amazing
Junior League of Austin (JLA) team. Over the past 15 years, the
Milk Bank has been fortunate to be a Community Project of JLA and has benefited tremendously from the dedicated
women who select us as their nonprofit of choice to fulfill their volunteer
hours. Next month we will say goodbye to our incredible 2014-­2015
team, and we’ve just learned that we will welcome a new team for 2015-2016 –
thank you Junior Leaguers! In addition to providing the woman power necessary
to help us meet our mission, this amazing organization has supported our
Charitable Care Program (CCP) since 1999. The CCP is a philanthropically
supported program that allows the Milk Bank to provide donor milk to every baby
with a medical need – regardless of
insurance coverage or families’ financial resources. The Junior League of
Austin has literally helped us to same thousands of lives over the years!

In
honor of National Volunteer Week and this year’s JLA participants, we want to
spotlight the experiences of a couple of our volunteers as they reflect on
their time spent with the Milk Bank.

Meet Bethany!I joined the Junior League of Austin in the summer of 2013, right
around the same timemy daughter,
Zoryana ("Zory") was born. I was eager to stay involved in the
community, and have the opportunity to connect with other working moms also
looking to stay active with their community involvement. As a new mom, I had
hoped to become a milk donor for the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Austin - I had
periodically heard about the organization and the incredible ways in which they
are able to help fragile babies with the milk donated by breastfeeding moms.
Unfortunately, I barely produced enough breast milk for my little one, let alone
enough to donate to the Milk Bank. Fast forward a year when it was time to
choose my community placement with the League. I sorted through a massive list
of organizations supported by the Junior League, and to my surprise, found the
Mothers’ Milk Bank listed with the opportunity to help process milk in the lab.
I knew it was the perfect opportunity for me to give back to the Milk Bank in a
different way than I had originally hoped.

This past year, I've been
able to pick up milk from drop off locations around town and bring it to the
Milk Bank; I've logged frozen mother's breast milk that's been shipped to the
Milk Bank from around the country to prepare it for milk processing; I've
worked on the front lines with the pour team, mixing and pouring milk for
pasteurization. While I wasn't able to donate my breast milk, I was able to contribute my time to help improve the
health and lives of preterm and ill infants. I feel very lucky to have had this
opportunity this past year and to work closely with the incredible staff who
bring their passion for helping fragile babies to work every day.

Meet Doran! At the Mother's Milk Bank of Austin, every
day feels like volunteer appreciation day.
From my first week, the staff made me feel so welcome. As a volunteer, I was able to immediately
start helping with events that promote the milk bank, breastfeeding and the
importance of donating breast milk.
Hearing stories of mothers whose premature babies were the recipients of
donated breast milk catapulted my interest in how the breast milk is
processed. I loved taking an active part in the thawing and pouring of the breast
milk into flasks to later be pasteurized.
I also took on a more behind the scenes role by participating in
statistical analysis of the nutritional content of the milk. I was amazed to learn that the executive
director of the Milk Bank looks at every mother’s milk donation’s nutritional
content to make sure that each NICU baby receives just the right amount of fat
and calories in their milk.

Just like every ounce
of milk donated counts to make a difference in the lives of babies born too
soon, every minute of volunteering makes a difference at the Mothers’ Milk Bank
of Austin. I hope the readers decide to
one day donate their extra milk, donate financially or donate their time to
this wonderful organization.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

As a twin born at 26 weeks, 3 days,
weighing just 1lb, 15oz, and facing several severe medical complications, milk
recipient baby Rafael “Felo” received 5,514 ounces donor human milk from April
until November, 2014. His parents express how grateful they are for generous
milk donors who provided lifesaving milk to their son when he had to spend 3.5
months in the NICU after developing necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a
potentially fatal intestinal disorder.On
August 15, 2013, our twins came into this world at only 26 weeks and 3
days. Camila “Mila” Jane and Rafael
“Felo” Joseph both weighed in at 1 lb 15 oz. After a few hours in recovery, I wanted to
start pumping. My nurse helped me hand
express the first few days until my supply was established enough for pumping. I knew that breast milk was very important
especially for preterm infants.

The
babies were doing well considering their early arrival. But on September 1, 2013, Felo’s small
intestine was found to be perforated – it had a hole it in. He was gravely ill and wasn’t supposed to
make it; as just one sign of his stress, his heart rate was well over 250
bpm. But, after 24 hours, he stabilized
and began his recovery.

After
two-weeks of not being able to be fed, the team felt Felo was ready to give it
a try. The feeding didn’t go well, and
Felo showed signs of a problem; he was moved to an operating room for
exploratory surgery, and on September 17, 2013, my sweet boy had nearly 20% of
his small intestine removed. The bowel
that remained was not exactly healthy, but the surgeon felt that it could heal
with antibiotics. That was yet another sleepless night, as he was very
unstable; but, he was born a fighter, and managed to recover again.

We
brought the babies home mid-November (one day before my due date). After a week at home with both babies
exclusively on breast milk, I noticed Felo wasn’t growing and he was having
increasing difficulty with his feedings.
Felo, unfortunately, was admitted back to the NICU for further
observations. At that point the team
thought it was best to try feeding a breast milk substitute, an elemental
formula made for babies with feeding issues.
He was doing well for about a week until we got the dreaded news that he
had Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC), which is the leading cause of death in
preterm infants. We were
devastated. His bowels were sick, and he
was at risk of another perforation and surgery was considered.

At
that point, the team decided that it was in Felo’s best interest that we
transfer to another NICU for more specialized care.

We
packed up our family, my frozen breast milk, and headed to Houston. What was supposed to be a 4-week stay turned
into 3.5 months. My frozen stash
dwindled and we had to turn to donor milk during our NICU stay. I continued to
breastfeed Felo’s twin sister, but I didn’t have enough milk for both of them.

After
the hospital made several attempts to transition Felo to formulas, it became
apparent that he could only tolerate breast milk. So on March 17, 2013, we were discharged from
the NICU with a central line for a nutritional supplement called Total
Parenteral Nutrition (TPN), and a prescription for donor human milk.

Felo
has been on donor human milk from the milk bank ever since. This has allowed his gut to continue healing,
and his body and brain to grow, while I was able to continue breastfeeding his
sister. We are all forever grateful to
the donors and the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Austin. Pumping is a true labor of love and your love
has saved my son’s life.